Pin 21-12

U.S. Department of Labor

Employment and Training Administration
200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20210

June 15, 2022
DIRECTIVE:

JOB CORPS PROGRAM INSTRUCTION NOTICE NO. 21-12

TO:

ALL JOB CORPS NATIONAL OFFICE STAFF
ALL JOB CORPS REGIONAL OFFICE STAFF
ALL JOB CORPS CENTER DIRECTORS
ALL JOB CORPS CENTER OPERATORS
ALL NATIONAL TRAINING AND SUPPORT CONTRACTORS
ALL OUTREACH, ADMISSIONS, AND CTS CONTRACTORS
ALL CENTER USERS

FROM:

RACHEL TORRES
National Director
Office of Job Corps

SUBJECT:

Rachel Torres

Digitally signed by Rachel
Torres
Date: 2022.06.15
13:27:18 -04'00'

Consolidation of Job Corps’ COVID-19 Policies and Alignment with
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidance for
Institutions of Higher Education (IHE)

1.

Purpose. To inform the Job Corps community of updated COVID-19 guidance to align
with the CDC guidance for IHEs, as well as consolidate and rescind previous policy
guidance documents.

2.

Background. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Job Corps has prioritized the health
and safety of staff and students by implementing COVID-19 safety protocols and issuing
guidance to align with the recommendations provided by the CDC. Job Corps has
released policy guidance to address the safe return of students, mitigate transmission of
COVID-19 through masking, quarantine, and isolation procedures, and has continued to
monitor and address safety concerns across campuses. Job Corps remains committed to
providing the safest learning environment possible during the COVID-19 pandemic and
will continue to implement and enforce appropriate measures to reduce COVID-19
transmission risk on Job Corps campuses. This PIN aligns Job Corps with CDC guidance
for IHEs and consolidates and rescinds previous guidance, when applicable.

3.

Action. Center operators are to ensure that this Program Instruction Notice (PIN) is
distributed to all appropriate staff, informing them of the below guidance. In addition, in
situations of a COVID-19 outbreak, center operators must contact their Regional Office
for additional guidance regarding COVID-19 transmission mitigation strategies.
Center Plans
•

Center operators must update or develop Center Plans to align with this guidance and
approved on-board strength targets, including consideration for residential and non-

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residential populations served and vaccination status. These plans must be submitted
to the relevant Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR who will be responsible
for reviewing and approving the plans (once the plan is satisfactory to DOL), in
coordination with the cognizant Contracting Officer if and as necessary). Regional
Directors will coordinate with the COR to complete the review of the plans promptly.
Once the plans are approved, CORs will notify the National Office. The National
Office will coordinate with Job Corps Acquisition Services in the Office of the Senior
Procurement Executive to inform the center operators of approved plans.

Mask-Wearing
•

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Job Corps centers must comply with Department of Labor’s (DOL) masking
requirements located at https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus/masking. The Job Corps
community is encouraged to continue to wear masks, as appropriate, especially those
who are immunocompromised or those with complex medical conditions. CDC
recommends that people who are at increased risk of severe illness should consider
taking extra precautions even when the COVID-19 Community Level is low. When
the COVID-19 Community Level is medium or high, these precautions can include
properly wearing well-fitting masks and getting tested before gathering.
With the exception of health and wellness staff as discussed below, DOL masking
requirements apply to all Job Corps staff and students. In instances of outbreaks 1,
Job Corps center operators must contact their Regional Office for guidance on
additional COVID-19 transmission mitigation strategies.
Center health and wellness staff and the wellness facility must comply with CDC
guidance for Managing Health Care Personnel Interim Infection Prevention and
Control Recommendations for Healthcare Personnel During the Coronavirus Disease
2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic.
0F

•

Quarantine, Isolation, and Contact Tracing
•
•

Center operators must follow the quarantine and isolation protocols outlined by the
CDC for Institutions of Higher Education (IHE), for all students (residential and nonresidential) and staff.
Center operators must conduct prompt contact tracing in accordance with the CDC
IHE guidance.

Social/Physical Distancing
•

Center operators must follow the protocols outlined by the CDC for IHEs.

Testing for COVID-19
•

Center operators must follow the CDC diagnostic testing guidance for IHEs.

Outbreak is defined as “one or more students in the general student body are diagnosed with COVID-19 post initial
(arrival) quarantine and second test results OR two or more staff in the same work area are diagnosed with COVID19 within a 2-week time frame.” See Managing Investigations During an Outbreak.
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Center operators must follow the CDC guidance for COVID-19 screening, informed
by COVID-19 community levels. 2
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COVID-19 Health Checks
• Center operators are responsible for ensuring all students on a daily basis complete
virtual or in-person health checks (ask about symptoms, close contact with someone
with SARS-CoV-2 infection, and SARS-CoV-2 testing and diagnosis status). Job
Corps centers will use this information to assess the individual’s risk level and
determine whether the individual should be tested for COVID-19, quarantine, or
isolate on or off-campus.
Vaccination Data Collection
• Center operators must continue to track vaccination status of students, including
collecting data to determine those who are up to date 3 with vaccination and entering
student COVID-19 vaccination data into the CIS Health e-folder and Student Health
Record.
• Center operators will continue to use Attachment A- Student COVID-19 Vaccine
Certification, Authorizations, and Acknowledgements and Testing Consent.
2F

Vaccinations
• Job Corps center operators must continue to offer and promote COVID-19
vaccination and educate staff and students regarding up to date status. Center
operators must support/facilitate access to vaccination, to include primary series and
boosters, when eligible. If the vaccination site is off-center, center operators must
safely transport students to receive vaccination and return them to center.
• For students who choose vaccination, center operators must arrange for them to
receive vaccinations to remain up to date. Center operators must develop a tracking
system to identify students in need of follow-up doses, including for the primary
series and boosters, as indicated.
• If a current on-center student declines to be vaccinated or declines to answer as to
vaccination status, center operators must inform them that they must follow
requirements for those who are not fully vaccinated.
• For each student who indicates they have received COVID-19 vaccines or whose
vaccine status has changed, the center staff must obtain documentation of the status.
Center operators may verify vaccination status in one of three ways:
• CDC-issued vaccination card or other government-issued proof.
• Obtain medical records from health provider who administered vaccine.
• Immunization Information System (IIS) a state-based system that tracks
vaccinations.
CDC, Overview of Testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, available at
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/testing-overview.html (last updated February 11, 2022).
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CDC defines “up to date” as “a person has received all recommended doses in their primary series of COVID-19
vaccine, and one booster dose when eligible.” CDC, Stay Up to Date with Your COVID-19 Vaccines
available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-todate.html#:~:text=Up%20to%20date%20means%20a,one%20booster%20dose%20when%20eligible. (last updated
March 30, 2022)
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For current students, center operators must request that they (or a parent/guardian, if
the student is a minor) complete an updated “Authorization to Release Health-Care
Information” authorizing the release of updated immunization records to the center
(attached to PIN 14-33, Authorization to Release Health-care Information), or a
provider specific form authorizing the release of records.
Center operators must ensure that staff handle vaccine records consistent with the
storage and confidentiality requirements of Policy and Requirements Handbook
(PRH) Chapter 2 Appendix 202, “Transmission, Storage, and Confidentiality of
Medical, Health, and Disability-Related Information” and the requirements of 29
CFR 38.41(3).

Reasonable Accommodations
• Center operators must continue to follow existing program policies on providing
reasonable accommodations for individuals unable to comply with COVID-19 policy
requirements due to disability and/or sincerely held religious belief, practice, or
observance.
• Center operators must ensure that any individuals seeking exemptions from COVID19 safety requirements due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions,
including childbearing capacity, are not discriminated against compared to others
similar in their ability or inability to work or participate in Job Corps. Thus, to the
extent that reasonable accommodations or modifications are provided for other
similarly situated students or staff members, a pregnant student or staff member may
also be entitled to accommodation or modification.
Cleaning and Disinfecting Facilities:
• Center operators must follow Maintaining Healthy Environments & Cleaning and
Disinfecting guidance for IHEs. 4
3F

PIN Rescissions: The following PINs are no longer in effect:
•
•
•
•
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PIN 20-08
PIN 20-11
PIN 21-01
PIN 21-02
PIN 21-03

In the event of evolving CDC guidance for IHEs or any other Department of Labor
relevant guidance, Job Corps will implement changes as soon as operationally feasible.
Contractor staff shall continue to follow Job Corps Acquisition Services Contractor
Guidance 2021-05, Job Corps Contractor Vaccination Status, to include all Revisions.

CDC, Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), available at
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/collegesuniversities/considerations.html#anchor_1643911095938 (last updated on February 7, 2022)
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Effective Date. Immediately until rescinded or superseded. JCAS will issue a change
order simultaneously to incorporate this PIN and its requirements into center operations
contracts.

5.

Inquiries. Inquiries of a program nature should be directed to the COR. Inquiries of a
contractual nature should be directed to the Contracting Officer.

6.

Attachments:
Student COVID-19 Vaccine Certification, Authorizations, and Acknowledgements
and Testing Consent.

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